Shape the dough into small (3-inch) patties, adding a bit of flour as necessary to keep them holding together.

Heat 1/4-inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the tempeh patties and fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and fry for another few minutes until evenly browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

To make the sauce, combine the balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, spring onions, sugar, red chilies, parsley and sea salt in a small bowl. Serve with the warm tempeh patties, garnished with a bit more parsley.

13 comments:

Lisa, you are putting forth a theory as iron clad fact. There is no consensus among doctors and nutritionists about the dangers or the advantages of soy - at this point, both sides have evidence they are waving around loudly. Please have enough responsibility to plainly state that this is your position, these are your reasons for having that position, but that they should review all the available data and then reach their own conclusions.

I wouldn't begrudge anyone their own opinions about the benefits/dangers of unfermented soy or the degree of controversy on the issue. However, I do not feel that a food blogger like Lisa is obligated to put disclaimers on information she gives on the subject any more than she should suggest that a recipe is delicious. And certainly not feel any more obligated than many doctors and nutritionists who themselves proffer advice without acknowledging one side or another of this or other nutritional debates.

I would not suggest that all doctors or nutritionists are so one-sided or rigid on matters such as these, but I can attest from personal experience their recommendations for certain items like grains, animal fats, processed food, etc. are frequently dubious at best. Given a lack of consistency and sometimes common sense on the subject of food, I'm not entirely sure that deference to professional opinion -- even a range of professional opinion -- should be considered adequate or even very informative.

In fact, the lack of consensus among doctors and nutritionists on topics like soy, cholesterol, animal fats, etc. is significant. When consensus is perpetually absent or continually shifting on a subject, it means either that the subject is too complex for reduction to a single point of agreement, or that experts are starting from incomplete or incorrect premises. In the case of nutrition, I must conclude the latter case since a healthy diet really ought not to be a very complicated matter. After all, people have been living healthy lives for centuries before nutritional science came along. Where experts dither, I myself depend primarily on traditional wisdoms of people before the advent of nutritional science. When choosing scientific claims in posts on a food blog, I think Lisa is perfectly justified in using those that support traditional methods.

This is not to suggest that nutritional science is a complete waste of time, however. By studying chemical and physical reactions and effects, scientists can at least approximate some general truths about food. The temptation, of course, is to downplay uncertainty and a necessarily incomplete understanding of the way complex variables interact. It is when scientists turn to advocacy that they imply certainty that they cannot hold.

In the case of soybeans, the Chinese people who first cultivated them knew to ferment them long before receiving the benefits of nutritional science. It is clear from reading Lisa's posts that she does not advocate avoiding soy products entirely, but to limit consumption to products that have been properly fermented (tamari, miso and tempeh made through traditional methods). If it is not certain that soy ingredients have been fermented, it would seem to be a good idea to err on the side of caution and avoid those products.

For the record, I am a scientist who studies complex natural systems myself. I do not subscribe to the more fantastic conspiracy theories out there surrounding soy, nor do I give much credence to the more extravagant claims about its deleterious effects.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 22 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.